Power of the Axis
by xXUr-RawR-BuddyXx
Summary: 19 year old Kiku Honda, a worker at Musings Music Store, loves to listen to the songs of local bands from his city. When his favorite band, Power of the Axis, loses a member, will Kiku Honda accept their invitation to join the band?


_**Rock band AU (not the game) **_

_**19 year old Kiku Honda, a worker at Musings Music Store, loves to listen to the songs of local bands from his city. When his favorite band, Power of the Axis, loses a member, will Kiku Honda accept their invitation to join the band?**_

* * *

Wow, what a beautiful spring afternoon we are having. Such a fine hour for me to get out of work, I can finally enjoy a long lunch at my favorite sushi restaurant nearby. Maybe I'll drop by the dog park to familiarize myself with some of the neighborhood dogs (they bark at me a lot). I crossed the street and took out some giant headphones to listen to some music.

Music done by local bands in the city. It is amazing how talented they are, it would be great if they made it to the big leagues. It great how Musings Music Store, the place where I work at, is trying to help the bands by selling their albums to the public. I couldn't resist buying one album from each band. That's five in total.

_The United States of Rock and Roll_

_Asian Invasion_

_Absolutely Invincible Gentlemen_

_The Tumblrers_

And my favorite of them all...

_Power of the Axis._

The other bands are great and all, but the Power of the Axis is the best! They don't have mindless screaming like The Tumblrers. They're not punk rockers, like the Absolutely invincible Gentlemen. My roommate, Yao Wang, is a part of the Asian Invasion along with some other guys who are asian. The United States of Rock and roll are just a bunch of songs about Freedom.

Power of the Axis though... they have a kind of... Rise Against quality to them.

Great lyrics. Some native tongue mixed in with their songs. (I just wish what "Ich liebe dich" and "Ti amo" means, I already know what "aishiteru" means)

Great singing. All three members have amazing voices and when they harmonize, it's the most amazing sound ever. None of the other bands can do that sound. They sound like angels who have descended from heaven to grant us a gift from...

Oh God, I'm gushing over them again! I'm like a music Otaku...

Oh wait, I am.

I felt a buzzing in my shorts, and I pulled out my phone from my pocket. Yao just sent me a text saying _"The band is here. Bring some Panda Express! The usual! I'll repay you later."_ I sighed. I was hoping I can stay here for at least an hour and enjoy some all-you-can-eat sushi. Guess I'll get the usual at Panda Express.

I ordered some sushi to go and left to pick up some chinese food at Panda Express.

* * *

"Oh, hello Kiku, did Yao want more food?" asked Tino, who was currently working as a server at Panda.

"Good afternoon, Tino, and yes, he wants the usual," I replied, setting down my disposable bento box full of sushi down on the floor to take out my card to pay.

"What do you have there?" Tino mused, glancing at the styrofoam boxes near my feet.

"Sushi. I was craving some, so I went to the all-you-can-eat restaurant."

"Awesome! So four boxes, right?"

"His band is there."

"Four boxes indeed." Tino grabbed three other containers and started to fill them up with food.

"Tino," a deep voice quietly boomed from behind him as he finished placing the food into the styrofoam container. The sound of the voice frightened Tino a bit and he turned around to see who called him.

"Oh, Berwald, is it your shift already?" Tino's voice cracked a bit but he managed to make a smile. Berwald, the tall, blonde haired man who wore a poker face, nodded. "Okay, I'll just finish up this customer then I can go on break." The expressionless man nodded and went to serve the next customer. Tino punched some buttons on the cash register "Total will be twenty dollars." I handed him my debit card. after swiping it on the machine, he handed it back along with the receipt. "Have a nice day, Kiku, I'll see you later."

"Thank you, I'll see you later." I turned and exited the restaurant carrying the sushi in one hand, and the chinese food in the other.

Man this is heavy, and I have to walk four blocks to the apartment. I wish I had one of those motorcycle scooter vehicles, I'd be home sooner than usual. But my money is going for college tuition, so I have to save up.

I arrived at the apartment a few minutes later and entered our complex. They weren't in there, they must be practicing up on the rooftop. I set down the food, sneaked a sushi from the container, and climbed up the fire ladder to the rooftop, there I heard music being made.

"_I can see the lies_

_Hiding beneath your skin_

_Let the Thunder crack open_

_To release all_

_The diseases thats making you like this."_

Why do Koreans have such wonderful voices? Im Yong Soo is a great vocalist, and I admire his singing so much. He's actually teaching me the ways of singing. They asked me if I wanted to be a backup singer, but I have college to worry about, I want to become a music teacher, so they relentlessly tease me about that.

"College boy!" cried Im Yong Soo. He placed the mic on the stand and ran to hug me. "I haven't seen you in the longest time!" He nearly knocked me over the edge of the four story building.

"I just saw you two hours ago at Musings."

"Oh yeah!" Yao walked up to us holding his wallet.

"So how much do I owe you?" he asked, rustling hough his money. I told him the amount and he handed me a twenty dollar bill. "So is the food ready?"

"It arrived ready," I said, pushing Im Yong Soo off. Yao smiled and told the band to take the equipment back inside so we could eat.

"Thanks bro, you're the best."

The sound of eating filled the small dining room. Everyone was eating, humming in delight at the food they were consuming and I was enjoying my sushy all the same.

"Oh! I heard some rumors at school today," said Im Yong Soo. "You're not going to like this, Kiku." Everyone in the band looked at me and I felt my face flush. This made me scared.

"Wh-what is it?" I asked.

"I heard that the Power of the Axis lost a member. The Japanese one," I nearly dropped my sushi on the ground when I heard this. They disbanded...? "Don't worry, The German and Italian are still hoping to keep the band together." Everyone looked at me again, only with sly smirks on their faces.

"Wh-why are you looking at me like that?" I looked at everyone squarely in the eye, feeling the uncomfortable twinge of nervousness run through my body. Are they plotting something?

"You're Japanese, right?" asked Yao, smirking.

"I am..." I replied tentatively.

"And you can sing, right?"

"K-kind of..."

"And you can play the bass?"

"Since I was six..."

"Well then, how about it?"

Why are they asking these questions? And what does me being Japanese have anything to do with Power of the Axi-

Oh.

_OH._

"But I have college to finish!"

"C'mon Kiku, just for a bit of time at least. For fun?" Im Yong Soo smiled at me.

"I have no time for fun! besides... I'll just ruin them..." I looked away in shame as I said this. I am not confident in my abilities.

"How will you ruin them?" one of the band members asked.

"I'm not good with singing and I get stage fright..." I admitted. I'm even too scared to sing in the shower.

"What? You're a wonderful singer! Who told you otherwise? I'll go kick their ass!" Both Yao and Im Yong Soo said simultaneously. I raised my hands up and shook them vigorously at them.

"N-no need for the kicking of ass! I'm just... not confident..." I began to fiddle with my fingers in nervousness.

"C'mon Kiku! At least think about it!" Yao said, pouting. I shook my head in protest and sighed. I looked at all of them, who were, again, staring at me.

"I have some homework to do," I got up and went into my room to work on my homework.

I closed the door and sat at my desk. I can hear them talking about band business and laughing and I think Yao took out some alcohol to drink. I shook my head, faced my desk and put on my headphones...

"_Please! (Please!)_

_Please don't walk away, (please!)_

_You are the only thing that's _

_keeping me alive right now..._

_So don't (don't!)_

_Fade away from me (Please!)_

_Help me with my quest _

_To move on in this life..."_

Their lyrics aren't as intricately written like Rise Against, but the music is similar. I bobbed my head to "Don't Walk away" by Power of the Axis as I worked on my psychology homework.

* * *

"All right Yao, I'm going to work," I told my roommate as he was lying on the couch, recuperating from his drinking session last night. I left some green tea brewing for him in the kitchen and left for work.

I walked listening to "I Keep Wondering" by the band.

"_I keep wondering_

_About what we are._

_Are we here to live our lives_

_Or are we here to die?_

_I keep wondering_

_Why this world breaks_

_Under the pressure_

_of society and_

_the weight of hate."_

Ludwig and Feliciano's voices harmonize with each others' perfectly. Ludwig has a deep, almost harsh voice and Feliciano's voice is lively. I guess opposites attract, if that is a correct way of using the phrase.

I arrived at Musings Music Store singing a verse from the song and my manager, Antonio, greeted me happily.

"Hey Kiku, some new equipment arrived earlier today, I want you to set it up on display and test run it for me, please?" I nodded and went on to do my job.

As I unloaded the boxes, I realized it was a new microphone system. Antonio must have finally decided our old one was outdated. I smiled and got excited for setting it up and trying it out. I took the pieces out to the empty display area and began to set it up. Speakers here, connect over there, stand the mic here, push some buttons on the sound board. There. I lightly tapped on the microphone and said "Testing, test, testing." Sounds good.

"Hey, Kiku! Sing us something!" Gilbert, my co-worker, shouted across the store.

"How about no," I said in the most Japanese accent I can muster.

"All right, I'll sing," Gilbert said.

"No, Gilbert! You'll just sing 'tits tits titties' again," Antonio said while organizing some cds on a rack.

"Exactly!" I turned back to the microphone and began to sing.

"_Is this the real life?_

_Is this just Fantasy...?"_

"Huh? Oh! Westy! What are you doing here?" I heard Gilbert exclaim.

"_Caught in a landslide to escape from reality..._

_Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see!_

_I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy_

_Because I'm easy come, easy go._

_Little high, little low_

_anyway the wind blows,_

_doesn't really matter to me..._

_to me."_

A boyish looking girl approached and asked for the microphone. I handed it to her and she began to sing.

"_Mama, just killed a man_

_Put a gun against his head,_

_Pulled my trigger, _

_now he's dead..." _

Only it wasn't a girl, it was a boy, a boy with a familiar voice.

"_Mama, life had just begun_

_And now I've gone and thrown it all away."_

Oh my God, it's Feliciano from Power of the Axis. I tried not to freak out. I thought he was a girl because of his facial features, but now that I think about it... he looks more like a guy than a girl.

"I like that song too!" He piped up cheerfully. His speaking voice is not like his singing voice. "I'm Feliciano, what's your name?" It took me a moment to find my voice.

"I-I'm Kiku Honda," I replied sheepishly.

"That's some great singing right there! How long have you been singing? Since you were six?" This took me by surprise.

"Um, I've only been singing for two years..." I sheepishly replied.

"Not bad! Not bad at all! Luddy! Ludwig! I'll be right back!" Feliciano ran off to find Lud-

Ludwig's here?!

Feliciano came back dragging the drummer behind him. "He has a really good voice! Kiku, meet Ludwig, Ludwig this is Kiku!" Ludwig smiled at me and gave me a curt nod. I bowed (because it's a habit) back.

"Hello, Kiku."

"H-hello." I am talking to my favorite local band. Is this the real life, or is this just fantasy...?

"I have a question, if you don't mind me asking," Ludwig inquired.

"Um, sure, go ahead."

"Do you know how to play the bass?" I nodded. Ludwig took the information in like a spy in the military and asked another question, "Would you like to join our band?" I couldn't hold it, I couldn't hold it in. I felt myself begin to shake as my music otaku threatened to spill out.

"I... I..." Both of them stared at me with wonder. I don't, I can't, I want to... but college..."I...I I'm sorry! I don't think I can! I would love to, I mean you're my favorite local band, but I have college to worry about and and and..." Ludwig put a hand on my shoulder.

"It's alright, we understand," Ludwig said with a calm voice.

"Yup! But you can still join even if you're in college! Both of us are also in college and we try to manage our time between school and band practice," Feliciano smiled sweetly at me.

"I... uh..."

"Here," I received a little card with their phone numbers on it. "Call us if you change your mind." I nodded and they left. I stared at the card for for like an hour before I resurfaced back into the store. Antonio walked up to me.

"Hey, are you okay, amigo?" Antonio looked at me and tilted his head questioningly.

I took a deep breath, still holding the card tightly in my hands. "I need a moment." I ran to the back of the store and hid under a random blanket.

Oh God. How embarrassing! I let my music otaku show in front of my favorite band! I gushed in front of them and I let down their offer to be in the band.. IN THE BAND.

"Ohh, I'm such a failure... I fail, I fail, epically!"

"Kiku?" I heard footsteps approach my hiding place. In a shaky voice, I replied, "Kiku is not here right now, please leave a message after the beep... BEEP." The blanket was lifted from me and it suddenly felt cooler. "Dude, you're going to suffocate under there, especially if you're hyperventilating." Was I doing that? I looked up and it was Gilbert who was probably thinking I was weird. "Are you alright?"

I sat up and sighed sadly. "I acted like an idiot in front of the members of my favorite band! And I turned them down!" Gilbert smiled and began to laugh. "It's not funny!"

"If that was bad, then the way I act in front of them must be horrible!" Wait, what? "Ludwig is my younger brother and he lives with me, and boy, the way you acted is nothing compared to me and Feli. Don't worry about it." He held out his hand and I took it so he could help me up. I felt a little better.

"Wait, he's your little brother?"

"Yup and he gets discounts at the store." Interesting.

* * *

I was walking back from work feeling the wasps of disappointment and shame when my phone buzzes again in my pockets.

"_Get me some Panda! I'll pay you double!"_ I sighed at his obsession of Panda Express but I went to get some either way.

"Haha, you're getting to be highly familiar here, Kiku," Tino greeted me with delight.

"Yeah, he won't get off his ass and buy some himself. But he's paying me double, so, I don't actually mind. He wants the usual, only one though... on second thought, make that two, I'm in the mood for some orange chicken." Tino nodded and went on to fill two containers with food. I watched as he worked and sighed deeply.

_Watashi wa baka. (I'm an idiot)_

I turned them down... I turned down my _favorite band's invitation for me to join their band_.

I'm such an IDIOT.

"Are you alright?" Tino asked, slowly grabbing the next container and began to fill it with orange chicken. I looked at him and sighed.

"I... Are you familiar with the band Power of the Axis?" I asked him. Tino thought and nodded.

"They're a rather popular local band, I heard their bassist left to be in another band. Why?"

I didn't know how to say this without scaring the entire restaurant. "They... They asked me to be in the band. And... I declined because I have college to worry about... but.. They're my favorite local band..." Tino stared at me and gave me a reassuring smile.

"You've got your reasons for declining, there's no harm in that. But Kiku," Tino gave me a stern look, "You've been working hard for the past few days, at work and at school, you hardly have time to chill and have fun, maybe being in this band can help you with that. But that's up to you. That will be ten dollars." I gave Tino the twenty dollars Yao handed to me yesterday, and he gave me back ten dollars. "Well, have a good day, Kiku." I said my goodbye and left.

Fun? I haven't thought about fun in a while. When was the last time I had fun?

Today, when I was singing, that was fun. I loved it...

Maybe it won't be bad to be in the band.

* * *

"Yao, I'm home, I brought some Panda." I heard running footsteps and Yao came out running from the hallway with a giant smile on his face.

"How much do I owe you?" he asked, sitting down, grabbing the chopsticks and digging into the food.

"Nothing, it's on me." Yao looked up at me with surprised eyes and gave me a smile.

"Really!? Kiku, that's awesome!"

"That orange Chicken is mine, though." Yao nodded and continued to eat his fried rice and noodles with some spicy chicken.

"So why being so generous all of a sudden?"

"I'm disgruntled and confused at the moment."

"Wow, immediate answer, why?"

"... Power of the Axis asked me to be in their band..." Yao's eye lit up and he smiled hugely as a piece of broccoli hung from his lip.

"Kiku that's grea-"

"- and I turned them down..."

"WHAT?"

"It was in the heat of the moment and I told you I have college to worry about. But..."

"But what, Baka-seme?"

"I'm rethinking this and I'm considering actually joining the band..." Yao stared at me in silence. His face was expressionless and it was making me feel uncomfortable.

"Sake for everyone!" He suddenly announced.

"Wait, what?"

"For once you're chilling! That calls for a big celebration!"

I'm underage! I can't drink alcohol! Besides I have to call them to tell them I'll join the band..." Yao gave me a smile and gave me a huge hug.

"Man, I'm so proud of you. Go call them! I'll make dumplings to celebrate."

I stared at the card on my desk for about ten minutes, trying to muster up the courage to call. I just can't, it's too nerve wracking and I'm afraid I'll otaku all over again.

Beep, beep, beep.

Ring. Ring.

"_Hello?" _Horry Sheet he answered.

"Is Feliciano there?"

"_Who's this?" _Stay calm, Kiku, stay calm...

"This is Kiku Honda, from the store yesterday..."

"_Oh! hello! How are you doing?"_

"I'm doing good, um... I've been thinking..."

"_Yes?"_

"I would like to... join your band..."

"_Really? That's great! Luddy! He wants to join our band!"_ I can hear the German speak in the background. _"Hey, is it okay for you to come tomorrow so we can talk band stuff, or do you have to work?"_

"I actually have the day off tomorrow, where do you live?"

"_We live in an apartment complex at 4th avenue and Sakura St. Not far from the store. Come by around 1 pm?"_

"I'll be there."

"_Okay! I can't wait to see you! I gotta go, bye!" _

"Goodbye..." Feliciano hung up and I just stared at my phone, feeling warmth fill up my chest as I burst out laughing hysterically, like the crazy fanboy I am.

* * *

I couldn't sleep all night last night. I ended up annoying Yao, but hey, I agreed to be in a band with my favorite band, it's such a thrill. I was striding along the sidewalk carrying my bass over my shoulder as I approached the apartment building. It was a rather nice complex, nicer than Yao and mine's. It had potted plants and palm trees.

Feliciano sent me a text earlier which apartment they live. So I walked up to the fifth floor and searched for their number, 65. When I arrived, I tentatively knocked three times on the door. I bounced on the balls of my feet, there was so much excitement going through me, for a moment I thought I was actually going to explode before Feliciano opened the door.

But that didn't happen because the door never opened. I began to worry that I was at the wrong apartment, but the door opened after ten minutes.

"Kiku Honda! Come in! Sorry I didn't answer earlier, I was in the shower and Ludwig was practicing on his drums. I see you brought your bass! C'mon! I made cookies! Want one?" Feliciano held up a plate of chocolate chip cookies and I took one. I can hear drums playing somewhere in the apartment.

"Th-thank you." I slid my bass of my shoulder and set it down by the couch.

"I'll be right back!" Feliciano disappeared into the hallway and the drumming stopped. After a few minutes, they reappeared. I have completely forgotten how much of a big guy Ludwig was.

"Hello, Kiku, nice to see you again, please have a seat," Ludwig gestured towards the couch and I sat down on it. "So what made you decide to change your mind?"

"A worker at panda express," I said, blushing at how ridiculous that sounds.

"Tino? He does give great advice!" Feliciano said. Whoa, he knows Tino?

"I see, well I'm glad you've decided to join. Can you play us a little something on your bass?" I was actually not expecting this. I nodded and reluctantly grabbed my bass and took it out of it's case.

"Um, I'll play... Prayer of the refugee... While singing..." I was about to play the first progression when...

"Wait! I know how to play that song! Let me grab my guitar!" Feliciano ran to one of the guitars on the wall and he grabbed a blue Les Paul. He came back and counted "One two three four..." He began to play the song. Then I started to play the bass.

"_Warm yourself by the fire son,_

_And the morning will come soon..._

_I'll tell you stories of a better time,_

_In a place that we once knew..." _Then Feliciano joined in.

"_Before we packed our bags _

_And left all this behind us in the dust..._

_We had a place that we can call home _

_In a life no one could touch._" Then Ludwig joined.

"_Don't hold me up_

_Now!_

_I can stand my own ground!_

_I don't need your help now!_

_You won't let me down down down!_" I stopped at that because I felt like that was all they needed and it did suffice. Ludwig smiled.

"He's actually much better than our former band member. His voice harmonizes better than the other guy's. Glad to have you in the band, Kiku."

What is this? I'm... I'm in a band? More importantly, my favorite band? I did want to be in a band when I was in highschool, but I dropped that dream my senior year! Now I'm in a band!

"Why did the other guy leave?" I couldn't help but ask.

"He wanted move with his girlfriend in a different city." Feliciano rolled his eyes.

"Oh."

"Anyways, lets start practice, shall we?" Ludwig said, getting up and he shot me a smile. I got up quickly and nodded.

Well this will be interesting.

I regret nothing.

* * *

_**Well, here's my oneshot!**_

_**If i get enough reviews i might make a sequel.**_

_**Maybe.**_


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